Greater Manchester Green Spaces Fund
Duration: TBC
Background
Greater Manchester’s green spaces are vital to those living and working in the city-region, with their importance becoming even more apparent as people discovered and appreciated parks and green spaces throughout the pandemic.
They are particularly important to our mental and physical health, providing us with places to walk, exercise, meet friends, relax, or simply connect with nature – Greater Manchester’s green spaces provide us with nearly £700m per year in recreation, physical and mental health benefits.
The natural environment also helps reduce the risks of the impacts of climate change – reducing flood risk and keeping urban areas cooler – as well as locking up carbon, improving air quality and providing space for wildlife. This amounts to over £300m of benefits every year.
But access to the benefits of green space is not equal. Not everyone in Greater Manchester has equal access to quality green space, either at their home or in their local area.
What we’re doing
The Greater Manchester Combined Authority have launched a £2.6m Greater Manchester Green Spaces Fund, offering small and large grants to communities to support projects that make the city-region greener by improving local green spaces or creating new ones, in areas where there is the greatest need.
Groundwork Greater Manchester is working with Groundwork Cheshire, Lancashire & Merseyside, Lancashire Wildlife Trust, Sow the City, RHS Bridgewater and City of Trees to help manage the funding, acting as Green Spaces Fund Advisors.
Together, partners will:
- Support groups to apply for the Green Spaces Fund and other funding opportunities
- Ensure ideas generated by community groups are realistic and achievable
- Support groups to develop their skills and confidence in project delivery
- Develop the ongoing skills of community groups to ensure sites can be maintained and activities will continue long term
As lead partner, Groundwork will also be providing the project management function, ensuring the success of this partnership approach to improve green spaces.
Find out more
To find out more about the project, contact our Community Projects Lead Abbie Williams:
Please visit the Greater Manchester Environment Fund website for more information about our partners and funders.
Funders & Partners
This project was made possible thanks to funding from the Greater Manchester Combined Authority.
